


Comforting Kisses

by Katalyna_Rose



Series: Kahlia Mahariel [24]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Suicide attempt, Implied/Referenced Torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-15
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2019-03-31 20:23:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13982673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Katalyna_Rose/pseuds/Katalyna_Rose
Summary: Kahlia believes herself to be ugly and unfit for Zevran, but he will do whatever it takes to prove to her that she is the one for him.





	Comforting Kisses

Kahlia stood before the mirror with her head tilted and examined her reflection as she waited. It was odd and slightly difficult to stand before another eluvian and wait for it to show her something, but she kept reminding herself that this one wasn’t corrupted like the one that had nearly claimed her life.

Zevran, seated at their campfire behind her, called to her. “I doubt he is going to mind if we are having a meal when he calls, amor,” he said. “Come, the rabbit is almost done. Eat with me before we fully uproot and join him.”

She ignored him and stayed as she was, tracing the changes in the reflection before her. She hadn’t seen herself this clearly in a very long time; the mirror in their apartment in Antiva City was cheap and warped and barely reflected anything, but the image in the closed eluvian was crisp and perfect and she could see every freckle on her nose and across her cheeks. She could see the prominent jutting of her cheekbones that resulted from the sunken flesh of her too-thin cheeks, skin far paler than it had once been. Her golden eyes seemed dimmer than before, muted, her wild hair only accentuating how thin she was, so much so that she considered trying to tame it as she used to do before dismissing the notion as too much damn work. Over the top of her leather armor, just over her collarbone she could see the edge of the deep and jagged scar that crossed over her heart, her single failed attempt to end her agony in The Pit. Her neck, which she usually covered with a delicate scarf that would be ripped away if anyone tried to strangle her with it, was bare and the deep purple burns shaped like fingers were more obvious than the bright orange of her hair. The scar on her chin pulled at her skin and slightly puckered her jaw as it stretched back and her lower lip was broken by another. Her Vallaslin was interrupted a few times, the horns of Ghilan’nain’s halla on her forehead barely recognizable anymore and slashed through from the bridge of her nose through her brow and into her hairline. She hated it.

After a few more minutes of letting her indulge in self-loathing, Zevran stood with a sigh and approached her slowly. He made sure she was watching him in their reflection and gently pulled on her shoulder to turn her towards him. She allowed it and looked up into his beautiful face, golden hair tousled and tawny skin a bit chapped. She reached up and gently touched the laugh lines around his mouth and eyes, which deepened at her touch. He was beautiful, her Crow, and once she would have thought herself a match, someone he could be proud to have on his arm. But no longer. She found her reflection grotesque, monstrous, and though she wouldn’t remind him that she was no fit mate for him lest he take her words to heart she still knew it. She barely looked like a person, barely looked alive.

Zevran’s hands skimmed lightly up Kahlia’s shoulders and neck until he cupped her face gently. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped and released his breath in a sigh with a wry smile. His thumbs gently stroked her cheeks as he looked at her for a few long moments, then leaned in to press a gentle and lingering kiss to her forehead. Then he slowly and tenderly kissed the scar in her hairline and followed it down to her nose, then slowly made his way across her every visible scar, kissing each one with loving attention. She closed her eyes after the first few kisses, almost startled by how much she trusted him. She relaxed slowly in his hold and let him kiss his way across her face and all its scars. He kissed all over her neck, though she could barely feel it, and even kissed the edge of the scar over her heart that could be seen. By the time he was finished, she was barely more than a puddle in his arms. She draped her arms around his shoulders and leaned into him with a sigh as he gathered her close. It felt better than anything to just stand there and be held and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he loved her and he found her beautiful even if she hated her own reflection.

By wordless agreement, they sat by their fire a few minutes later and shared the cooked rabbit between them. In comfortable silence they sat together, Kahlia’s head on Zevran’s shoulder, and waited for the eluvian to active and Fen’Harel to contact them.


End file.
